....There is no doubt that prices for oil and natural gas will continue to
increase. What I find frustrating is that "we" all know that this will
happen but "we" don't seem to want to face the upcoming reality. "We"
continue to build large houses, large churches, big box stores at the
fringes of cities, multi-lane highways. No point in pointing the finger at
China or India or other OECD countries. A Chinese, an Indian and an African
have as much right to the oil as we do to achieve the lifestyle that we have
become accustomed to. (After all, "we" have been telling the world, through
advertising, that consumption brings happiness. "Things go better with
Coke.")

I can well imagine our grandchildren asking us, when the over-mortgaged
homes are getting too cold for comfort, and the family chariots sit idly in
the garage, "didn't you see this coming?"

AK: It is by no means obvious that "we" know that the prices of oil and natural gas will increase and that we may not have as much energy available as we have now at even much higher prices. My experience has been that a significant majority of people think that prices go up and prices come down and that new technology will soon produce better and cheaper energy sources for our transportation and electricity and heat. No problem except for samll bumps along the way. You are correct: the main message of the US politicians and businesses is "consume"--the economy will grow and everyone will be better off, including the Chinese, Indians, Africans,etc. You and I may think that is soon to be foolish advice, but most people do not agree with us. My students like to ask: How do we know that you are right and the Julian Simons and the Bjorn Lombergs of the world are wrong? The answer to that question by my thinking is; Let us find some small concrete topic where we each can !
agree that we disagree and then let us do some research on that topic and see where it takes us. It is rare individual who will take you up on that process. The vast majority of people like to believe those stories that are optimistic and that confirm their own views; they don't want to think about unpleasant scenarios that do not fit their worldviews, even if they are likely to be accurate. Ignorance is bliss.